


Digger's Valentine's Day

by larchwood



Category: Sidewinder Series - Abigail Roux
Genre: Asexual Character, Fat Tuesday, Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 17:51:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17047814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larchwood/pseuds/larchwood





	Digger's Valentine's Day

Digger groaned as he straightened up from picking up trash on his lawn. Fat Tuesday had been raucous as always. The down side was always the clean up the next day. 

His little duplex in the Garden District had been the family hangout to watch the parade. His niece had been a majorette in her high school marching band. His cousin had taken his turn as a member of a mardi gras indian krewe. Digger’s momma had poured her heart and soul into sewing his costume, and he had looked magnificent.

(Digger privately thought his own costume from 3 years before had been more spectacular, but he wasn’t going to show up on family.)

It had been a perfect day of food, happiness, family and laughter. Just the way he wanted to spend it.

After the parade, during the family cookout, his niece - with all the starry-eyed innocence and un-awareness of youth - a high-schooler *IN LOVE 4EVER* with her boyfriend - had asked if he had a special Valentine to celebrate with. “No, baby girl,’ he answered as he hugged her. “I’m happy as I’m am. I’ve got you, and Grandma and cousins and family and friends and my heart couldn’t hold anymore love.” She didn’t really understand, but she hugged him back fiercely before bussing his cheek, and then trying to sneak a taste of his drink. He let her get so far as to get her lips wet before snatching the cup away. “Ah, ah, ah, baby girl! No hurricanes for you yet.” She dimpled at him before running off to find her boyfriend.  
~~~~~~~~~~  
He didn’t regret the clean up at all. Next year though he might institute a new rule - use his driveway and yard for free parking, you gonna fill up and take away a trashbag of stuff when you go.

He was gonna need a ladder to get all the beads out of the trees in the front yard.

Eh, maybe he’ll just leave them as ‘yard art.’

Nothing meant more to Digger than family. Even with the clean up, he’d do it every day of the week to be surrounded by the people he loved. Next year, though - instead of BYOB - it was going to be BYOBOTB - bring your own box of trash bags. “For reals - how much shit can we make?” he muttered.

Normally he’d have a cousin or two still around to help out, but this year Valentine’s Day fell on Ash Wednesday. They had all begged off with romantic plans with their significant others. (Well, his widowed momma hadn’t, but damned if he was gonna make her work in his yard.)

Digger’s phone dinged as he set down his beer to reach for another trash bag. ‘New text from Ozone’ on his lock screen. He opened it to see a picture of a sonogram with the caption, ‘IT’S A BOY! SAY HELLO TO YOUR GODSON, BROTHER!”

Digger sat down heavily on his front porch, before laughing raucously as tears streamed down his face. “Yes! Hell YES!” He yelled before kissing his phone and then getting up to do a cartwheel across is lawn and falling down to lay in the grass. Big gasps of air and a smile that he thought might never leave his face as he speed dialed Owen.

He had told his niece last night that his heart was full. Turns out he was wrong.


End file.
